The Chi
A drama series set on Chicago's South Side.
Lena Waithe created The Chi, an American drama series set on Chicago's South Side. Its seventh season arrived in May 2025, with an eighth season announced that same month. That eighth season, which premiered on Paramount+ on May 22, 2026, was the show's last.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Drama
- Creator
- Lena Waithe
- Composer
- Patrick Warren
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Seasons
- 8
- Episodes
- 88
- Camera
- Single-camera
Facts from the source article.
Production
Showtime renewed the series for a second season on January 30, 2018, which premiered on April 7, 2019. A third season was ordered on April 30, 2019, premiering on June 21, 2020. Jason Mitchell did not return for the third season due to misconduct allegations, and his character was killed off in that season's premiere. The fourth season was renewed on September 8, 2020, premiering on May 23, 2021; production paused in March 2021 because of a positive COVID-19 test. After the fourth season concluded, a fifth season was announced on August 2, 2021, premiering on June 24, 2022. Before the fifth season ended, the series was renewed for a sixth season on August 18, 2022. Paramount+ with Showtime renewed the series for a seventh season on May 8, 2024, which wrapped production in early October 2024; it premiered on Paramount+ for subscribers of the Paramount+ with Showtime plan on May 16, 2025, and aired on Showtime two days later. An eighth season was ordered on May 29, 2025, and reported as the final season on October 1, 2025. Production on the eighth season began in January 2026, and it premiered on May 22, 2026 on Paramount+.
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds an 87% approval rating based on 47 reviews, with an average rating of 7.5/10. The critical consensus describes the series as exploring the complexities of life in the South Side of Chicago with a tender touch and clear affection for its characters. On Metacritic, the season has a weighted average score of 73 out of 100 from 22 critics, indicating generally favorable reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes of The Chi are there?
The Chi has 88 episodes across 8 seasons.
When did The Chi end?
The Chi last aired on 24 September 2023.
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